bioinnovel Chapter 113 Mr. Potter Delivered to Our Door
Chapter 113 Mr. Potter Delivered to Our Door
Chapter 113 Mr. Potter Delivered to Our Door
On the last day before the Christmas holidays, thick snowflakes were still falling outside the window, obscuring the sky and making it very gloomy.
The swirling snowflakes, which should have fallen to the ground and become part of the accumulated snow on the ground, were instead blown towards the window by the howling wind.
Every window of the castle was sealed off.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione, whose Herbology class was suspended, took advantage of their free time to go to the fifth floor of the castle and stood earnestly at the door of the Muggle Studies classroom.
The corridor, much dimmer than usual, amplified the oppressive unease that surrounded the three of them.
Ron, sporting fiery red hair, stood by the wall, his back ramrod straight, but his eyes darted around, making him appear quite uncomfortable.
Hermione, the know-it-all, leaned close to the door, practically pressing her ear against it, listening intently to the sounds coming from inside the classroom, to the students asking all sorts of strange questions, and to Professor Black patiently giving his answers.
Harry paced back and forth in the corridor with his head down. He had lost count of how many times he had passed that closed classroom door. His swaying figure made Ron dizzy, and his heavy, dragging footsteps annoyed Hermione.
When Hermione faintly heard the word "get out of class dismissed" coming from the classroom, the agonizing wait was finally over.
Hermione jumped back abruptly, and then the classroom door was pushed open from the inside, with students swarming out. Belvina, as usual, stood at the doorway, watching everyone leave.
The students who came out of the classroom quickly noticed Harry and his two companions in the hallway.
Some people whispered among themselves, some pointed and whispered, and some didn't even dare to look at them, even keeping their distance.
Since the night before Halloween, a rumor has been circulating in the school that Harry Potter is the heir to Slytherin and that he opened the Chamber of Secrets and released the monsters inside.
The people of Hogwarts are willing to believe anything, and such an absurd claim actually has a market. The reason that prompts them to accept this claim is even more outrageous: baby Harry Potter defeated the Man of Vander.
One is a ruthless, most dangerous dark wizard in history, and the other is a naked baby. Isn't that obvious enough?
Harry Potter is definitely the heir of Slytherin, inheriting Slytherin's powerful magic, which is why he was able to defeat Vanderbilt and save his life.
Seeing this scene, Ron was furious. He wanted to jump up and yell at these people for being cowards who believed whatever others said and had no opinions of their own.
Hermione was equally furious. She deliberately stood tall in the most conspicuous spot in the corridor, as if to say: I am a Muggle-born wizard, I am standing right next to Harry, how come I am fine?
Belvina, standing by the door, naturally saw Hermione's childish behavior. She didn't find it funny; instead, she thought the little girl was courageous. Support from friends when misunderstood is always heartwarming.
After a while, the students gradually walked away, leaving only Harry and his two companions with mixed feelings in front of the Muggle Studies classroom.
"Come in," Belvina said softly. "The last one, remember to close the door behind you."
The three Harrys in the corridor looked at each other and exchanged glances.
Ron didn't dare move and remained standing by the wall, his stance perfectly straight; Harry took a step forward, but then pulled his foot back the next second; Hermione shook her head and sighed helplessly, "Two useless things!"
The only girl in the Gryffindor trio had to take on the responsibility, and Hermione strode into the classroom, her head held high and her chest out, just like a proud swan.
With Hermione leading the way, Harry and Ron finally mustered the courage to follow.
By the time the two closed the classroom door, Belvina and Hermione had already reached the top of the spiral staircase. Harry and Ron exchanged glances again: Do all girls walk that fast?
Belvina turned around, tilted her head, and gestured for the two boys still standing at the door to hurry up and follow her instead of standing there dumbfounded.
Harry and Ron quickened their pace, and Ron, with his long arms and legs, accidentally bumped into the desks and chairs in the classroom.
"Are they always like this?" Belvina asked Hermione beside her. "Silly, clumsy?"
"Not often, just occasionally." Hermione sighed. "Maybe I'm a little nervous, maybe—" At that moment, Hermione felt utterly humiliated; these two idiots had completely disgraced her!
Finally, after a long and arduous journey, the two clumsy boys reached the spiral staircase just before Hermione died of shame.
When Harry, Ron, and Hermione entered the office, they were immediately struck by its simplicity. The office, with its bare white walls, was almost entirely devoid of decoration, not even a single painting, a stark contrast to Gilderoy Lockhart's office.
"Please, make yourself at home," Belvina said. "What would you like to drink? Tea, coffee, hot cocoa—oh, would you like a glass of eggnog? As long as you don't tell anyone—."
Harry, Ron, and Hermione were shocked once again. They knew Professor Black was different from other professors, but they didn't expect her to be this special.
Watching Belvina's busy figure, Harry became even more certain of his thoughts. He was right to come to Professor Black; such a special Professor Black would surely understand his feelings.
Belvina turned around and first placed a tall plate full of food on the table, then brought out three small and one large cups of eggnog and placed them on the table as well.
"Let's eat, there's still a long time before dinner," Belvina said, pulling up a chair and sitting down. "I have confidence in Kreacher's cooking." She sat casually, crossing her legs once again.
Looking at the mixed fruit cakes, shortbread, small cakes, and chocolates on the tall plate, Ron the Rice King's eyes widened.
Although the child was really hungry, Ron managed to control himself well and did not reach for the food on the plate, trying his best to maintain his gentlemanly demeanor.
"Relax a bit, is this place worse than Professor Snape's confinement?" Belvina said with a laugh, picking up a shortbread and taking a bite. Shortbread is a firm cookie, somewhat similar to a peach shortbread.
Hermione glanced at Harry, who had his mouth tightly shut, then at Ron, who was staring at her with his high-legged stool, and sighed inwardly once more.
"Professor, may I ask you a personal question?" Hermione asked cautiously, her gaze shifting downwards, staring intently at the floor beneath her feet, her youthful face flushed red.
"Well, as long as it's not about marriage or having children, it's fine," Belvina said casually, though she could sense the tension in the three students.
To keep the conversation going, the three of them needed to relax, which is why Belvina brought out snacks and eggnog to break down their defenses with food and drinks.
"Professor, what's your relationship with Draco Malfoy?" Hermione remained cautious, quickly adding, "There's a rumor going around the school that you and Malfoy are related."
Belvina stood up, her sudden movement startling Hermione. Hermione's wildly beating heart only gradually calmed down after Belvina took out a small basket filled with tangerines.
"Malfoy's mother is my cousin. Most pure-blood wizards are related, whether close or distant," Belvina said while peeling a mandarin orange. "Mr. Weasley and I are also related, though a little distantly."
Ron, who was wrestling with the abundant snacks on the tall plate, looked up and asked Belvina with a puzzled expression.
“Molly and I are cousins by marriage, and Arthur is my great-uncle’s great-grandson,” Belvina explained. “To maintain the purity of the bloodline, the choice of marriage partners is very limited.”
Ron started counting on his fingers to determine their family lineage, while Hermione was shocked; the pure-blood wizarding world was so complicated.
Harry, however, seemed lost in his own world, unable to pull himself out for the time being.
"No need to calculate, Ron," Belvina said casually. "From Arthur's perspective, you're the same generation as me, but from Molly's perspective, you're a generation below me. Speaking of which, I even attended Bill's Sorting Ceremony."
Perhaps it was hearing his parents' and older brother's names, or perhaps it was his utter defeat in the struggle with the snacks, but Ron finally let go of his reserve and reached for the passion fruit cake with lightning speed.
Hermione glared at Ron, her wicked little hand silently landing on his arm before giving him a hard pinch.
Ron, his cheeks bulging, looked at her in confusion. He didn't understand why Hermione had suddenly pinched him. Weren't the snacks on the tall plate something Professor Black had told him to eat?
Besides, we're all relatives, so why be so polite? We're already sitting in the professor's office, so let's eat first!
Belvina smiled without saying a word; the way Ron and Hermione got along was still quite enviable.
At this moment, Harry, who hadn't spoken until now, suddenly looked up and mustered his courage to ask, "Professor Black, have you heard the rumors circulating at school? About the Slytherin successor."
Belvina handed the freshly peeled tangerine to Harry, and when the boy didn't take it, she placed it directly in his hand.
Harry was momentarily taken aback by the older woman's intimate gesture and even forgot to say thank you.
For Harry, Belvina Black was more of a professor at the school, or someone who had saved him, and these two identities seemed inappropriate for such intimate behavior.
"You must be very tired?" Belvina suddenly asked out of the blue. "Be strong. Crying will become a habit, and a habit will become a weakness."
Harry could understand each word in a sentence, but when they were put together, he felt confused, as if he understood them but also as if he didn't.
Hermione, her face flushed, was equally puzzled. Professor Black seemed very different when he said those words, as if he had suddenly become a different person.
As for Ron—well, Mr. Ronald Weasley is dueling with a highball, and the advantage is on his side.
"Wait until you're really, really sad before you cry," Belvina said softly.